If you’ve been paying attention to the stem cell world, you’ll remember Woo Suk Hwang, who nearly derailed the future of stem cell research by very publically proclaiming that he had made human embryonic stem cells by somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT). No, this has nothing to do with Shoukhrat Mitalipov’s report of successful generation …
Jeanne Loring on Woo Suk Hwang Approved Patent of SCNT ESCs Read More »
Acid-induced pluripotent or even totipotent stem cells, called STAP stem cells, have thrown the stem cell field for a bit of a loop. For more background see my interview with the key public face of STAP, Dr. Charles Vacanti, as well as my review of their paper, my top 5 reasons for skepticism, and some other thoughts. Do you believe in …
Latest developments and scoops on STAP stem cells Read More »
What does the future hold for CIRM? I asked former CIRM Board Chair and Prop 71 leader, Robert Klein, about that and more in the interview below. He also says some particularly exciting clinical trial and other developments in the stem cell field are coming soon. What got you excited for the very first time …
I’m interested in tracking potential dynamic changes in people’s view of STAP stem cells. So about once a week I’m going to start a new poll on the extent to which you readers believe in them. Below is week two’s STAP poll. So if you’ve voted in the previous poll (which garnered more than 500 responses) you …
Do you believe in STAP stem cells new poll: week two Read More »
Update: I’ve set up a STAP new data page where people can share their results, thoughts, etc. The report of STAP stem cells has shaken things up. The idea that you can easily make powerful stem cells with a simple acid treatment or other sources of cellular stress has definitely caught the attention of the world of …
Invitation to crowdsource STAP stem cell follow up data here Read More »
If you take an ordinary cucumber and soak it in a mild acid solution of vinegar for a few weeks you get a pickle, which is where we find STAP stem cells. Recently, some scientists reported in Nature that if you take ordinary cells and soak them in a mild acid solution for 30 minutes, …
In a pickle over STAP stem cells: main reasons for skepticism Read More »
A long-standing debate in the commercial stem cell arena has focused on whether stem cells grown in a lab prior to clinical use as a transplantation product are biological drugs subject to full FDA vetting. The alternative view has been that such stem cell products are not drugs, but rather are simple human cellular and …
Court in Regenerative Sciences Case: Propagated Stem Cells Are Drugs Read More »
A new article in the major Japanese newspaper, Asahi Shimbun, just came out suggest major intellectual property (IP) and patent issues related to stem cells including the new stress induced STAP stem cells. The piece is entitled provocatively enough “Global patent war looms with epoch-making discovery of STAP cells“. That’s strong language. The article begins …
Big patent & IP implications or even ‘war’ from STAP stem cells? Read More »
I’ve been doing a poll on the extent to which people believe or do not believe in the stress-induced STAP stem cells reported in Nature last week. In just a few days of poll, we’ve got almost 400 respondents, which is great. It’s still not a scientific poll, but the results (above) are interesting for …
STAP stem cell poll: interesting results & regional differences Read More »
The recent publication of two Nature papers by a team in part led by Dr. Charles Vacanti on acid treatment produced stem cells (so-called STAP stem cells) has been a blockbuster story in the stem cell field and has grabbed major global media attention as well. For background my review of the paper here and more thoughts here. Many …
Interview with Charles Vacanti on STAP Cells: Link to Spore Stem Cells & More Read More »